A Whateley Academy Story

Summoning Courage

By Heather O’Malley

Tuesday, 21 November 2006  Beck Library, Secret corner

I…I have always been alone. When I was in elementary school I got picked on a lot, because I was a girly girl. I wore dresses, bows in my hair. I even had my mom curl it for me occasionally, because I thought it would be cuter. I mean, I bought my first pair of pants last year. It’s embarrassing at times. But what can you do? I just love the swish of my skirts and twirling.

Uh…I have always been into fantasy literature as well. I loved reading about knights saving damsel’s in distress. I dreamed of getting swept off my feet, of meeting my handsome prince and riding off into the sunset. I always had a fantasy book with me since the fourth grade.

Partially because of that, and the fact that I was so smart that I ruined the grade curve, I was a target. I had gotten teased, my hair pulled, tripped, called names, and even once I got hit in the head with a kickball. It hit so hard that my eyes changed color. It got worse in the second half of sixth grade when the titty fairy showed up.

I was eleven and not ready to have a period, let alone growing breasts. I had wanted them for so long. I had prayed, and pleaded, and focused all my might on getting them. What I hadn’t counted on was that the boys would just sit there and drool. They would talk to my chest and not me. It embarrassed me, a lot.

The other girls got jealous and they took it out on the playground and away from school. That was where I got hit a few times by some of the more popular girls. I…I turned to my books.

I dreamed that some day I would find a Unicorn or some other magical creature that would protect me, keep me safe from those bullies. I prayed and prayed for that, especially when I would walk alone in the woods, because magical things live in the forests. All my fantasy books said so.

So I was walking along the trail looking frantically for my Unicorn, wise wolf, black cat, anything that would be my friend and protect me. I was really hoping that it would work since it was on Halloween and I had read that the veil between worlds thins then. I learned more about that in class, but I guess it isn’t important.

Uhm…oh yeah…walking through the forest. I stopped in this really pretty glade that had wildflowers. I saw a toadstool ring and got really excited. You see, legend says that mushroom rings are where the faeries had danced and could be gateways to their realm.

So there I was, in my faerie costume, with wings my dad had made. He’s a hydro-electrical engineer. He works on Dams.

Yeah…faerie costume. So I look at the circle and I prayed really hard for my magical friend to come. My eyes were closed tight, my hands clasped and I kept saying, magical friend, over and over. I felt an odd pull, that I had felt a number of times before but never this strong. I opened my eyes to see this gateway open, right above the faerie ring. It was incredible.

The air shifted some and then out walked Rythax. I…I…I…peed my pants when I first saw him, because he was in his natural form which is sixteen feet at the shoulder. He exited quickly and turned to face me. His cobalt eyes bore into me. I was shaking and…uhm…my…urine trickled down my leg.

He did his bow thing; you know what he does to Fae whenever he sees her, with the one paw forward. He said something in a language that I couldn’t understand. He closed his eyes a moment and then he said, “My Thanks to you for freeing me from that realm. I have been imprissioned there a long time.”

I think I eeped.

He came up closer and got his huge face up to me and then he asked, “Are you alright Miss?”

The question seemed so simple that I blinked my eyes a few times and said, “I think so. You scared me. A lot.”

His nose wrinkled and he smiled. It wasn’t like a human smile, but it came across that way. “I can tell. I am terribly sorry that I have frightened. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ambassador Rythax, Shadowcat and servant to the Five Fold Court. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

He did the bow thing again. I started to feel elated. This was my dream come true. “I am Molly, uhm…human girl. Please to meet you.”

I had practiced curtseying just in case I ever met royalty or something. So I curtseyed.

As I calmed down I could feel that pull weakening. Rythax looked shocked and was rapidly drawn into the gateway again. And it disappeared.

I hurried home, so I could change my panties and to write about this in my diary. All of my dreams and ideas are in there. I have been keeping one since third grade. But we don’t need to talk about that.

So, off and on I would be able to open these gates and Rythax would come out and talk to me as long as the gate could remain open. I told him about the kids teasing me and such and he helped me to figure out ways to change things, helped me to have more courage to stand up for myself. It helped a lot but it was hard.

Towards the end of eighth grade my mom came into the room, because she heard talking, and saw Rythax on my bed. This time he was only as big as a panther, but it did make her freak. That was then that I got tested and got ready to come here to Whateley.

Things were going fine, and then I saw you. I…uhm…felt weird when I first saw you, like I knew you and was wondering you were so late. When you noticed me I panicked and ran. I mean, Chou, all I felt was attraction to guys and then I saw you and thought about…you know…really messing around. I was in my bunk thinking about that all night.

That day you finally caught up to me I could feel you getting closer. I was nervous, because I had never felt that way about a girl before. It scared me a little. Then we sat down on that bench and we touched.

I will never forget that feeling, the sensation that crashed over me like a wave. It was a tone that rang through my body. I felt my breath catch and I swear I was flying. I almost wanted to cry. It was magical and I never wanted to be away from that feeling ever again.

And then you broke off the touch, so I had to touch you. That first kiss was wonderful as well. It was like you awoke something inside me and it made me…glow. I mean, that touch got me so aroused that when I got back to my room to do homework I had to change my panties.

What’s up with that? I mean, why do I always have to change my panties after I meet some one I really like?

Anyway, I was worried about you not liking me. But you did. You did.

That gave me the courage to try harder in class, to get out of the corners and actually try. Whatever that touch was and whatever it is that you do to me has changed my life. I am getting less frightened of things now. I have even struck back a few times when some of the girls have tried to bully me.

I even got the courage up to ask Beltane to teach me the avoidance spell so we could meet here and…make out. I…I…love you Chou, with all my heart. You are my knight on the white horse, you are the one who enflames my heart. I get dizzy at your touch and a warmth burns inside when you are near. I utterly, deeply, and truly love you.

I…I…I am going to try and tell my parents about us, that you are more than my friend. I won’t tell them about your…transformation, as they don’t need to know that. I am going to try and summon the courage to tell them. Honest. I don’t want us to hide it any longer. I swear I want to shout it out, if it weren’t for the fact that people would stare at me.

I…I’m gonna try Chou. I am really gonna try my hardest to feel brave enough to tell them. It would be easier if you were there, but I guess we can’t do that, as my parents are a bit persnickety about things like that.

And thank you for the ticket to the play. I am so excited. Makes me really glad that I brought something pretty to wear. Thank you, my beloved.

I gotta go, homework again. Makes me wish I were even just a little bit of an Exemplar, so I could memorize everything. Mr. Anderson gave us a lot of homework and there is a test coming up.

I’ll miss you. Take care beloved and I’ll see you at breakfast.